Subject 9
Subject 9 Olivia Dunham experiences a strange disturbance in her home that creates a brief time distortion and attracts metallic objects it before it dissipates. After explaining this to Walter and Astrid, she and Astrid return to her home to examine the area, where the disturbance occurs again. Walter, observing this from his lab, surmises the effects are similar to one of his Cortexiphan children test subjects who displayed the ability for astral projection. Walter suspects that the children that underwent the Cortexiphan trials are psychically linked, and why Olivia is experiencing them. Walter's memory can only recall the child subject as "Subject 9", but Olivia is able to secure records from Massive Dynamic that name the person as Cameron James. While there, it is revealed that, in the alternate timeline, the Cortexiphan trials were stopped after Olivia ran away from experiments as a child (a la Subject 13 but without Peter Bishop to bring her back). Olivia also remembers being experimented on, unlike the original timeline, and the Fringe Division has not encountered the former Cortexiphan children before, as Astrid has no memory of them. It is also revealed that Olivia now shares a much closer relationship with Nina Sharp, who knew her growing up. Walter insists on leaving the lab, the first time in three years, joining Olivia to see Cameron, having secretly seen a letter sent to her from his doctor recommending he be readmitted to the mental institution. Arriving at Cameron's apartment, they find he has changed names and will not be back until the next day. Olivia sets Walter up with a hotel room to spend the night, but he suffers from a panic attack fearing the germs and contaminations in the room. He also reveals that his wife, Elizabeth Bishop, killed herself much earlier in this timeline, just after Peter died. He tells Olivia that he is glad she can't see him like this. Olivia offers to treat Walter to a root beer float, during which Walter reveals his discovery of the letter and that he came to show Olivia that he is still useful. As they talk, the disturbance appears, much larger and more destructive than before. It pursues Olivia and Walter out of the restaurant, but dissipates after being hit by a car. After resolving the situation with the police, Olivia and Walter return to Cameron's home, catching him before he can evade capture. Cameron explains that he resents what Walter did to him, his power making it difficult to live a normal life. When the same disturbance appears, Cameron is able to use his power to disperse it, and Walter realizes that the Cameron is not the cause of the disturbance; should they continue to appear, they will eventually destroy the world. Walter convinces Cameron to help him to destroy the disturbance the next time it appears. They travel to a nearby power station and wait. When the disturbance does appear, Walter guides Cameron in actions that will stop it, but Olivia, recognizing a human figure within it, fires her gun, distracting Cameron long enough to cause the disturbance to disappear. As they try to figure out what to do next, Olivia receives a call from Broyles, explaining that they have come across a man that had just appeared in Reiden Lake who knows far too many confidential details for Fringe. After dropping off Cameron, Olivia and Walter go to the hospital where the man is being held, asking for Olivia by name. As Olivia is taken to the man, Walter finds that Olivia has refused to allow Walter to be re-hospitalized, to his relief. Olivia is shown to where the man is being held; he claims he is Peter Bishop and knows her well. Olivia can only ask "who are you?"